Will my whitened teeth retain their new color?

Teeth whitening is a fast and effective way to revitalize the look of your smile. After only an hour in the dentist’s office, your teeth will be considerably whiter. With proper care and consistent oral hygiene, they will remain white for several months.

How Teeth Whitening Works

In-office whitening uses a professional-strength whitening agent that is applied directly to the teeth. It’s left for about twenty minutes, then removed and reapplied. Some teeth whitening agents are activated with a special light. A single treatment takes about an hour. Your teeth will be whiter right away, but over time they’ll gradually grow even whiter until the maximum effect of the treatment is reached.

In-office whitening usually makes a dramatic difference to surface staining. However, if your discoloration proves to be particularly stubborn, an at-home treatment kit might provide better results. Once again, you’ll use a professional-strength whitener, but you’ll take it home and apply it using custom-made trays. Leaving the trays in your mouth for about fifteen minutes, twice a day, for about two weeks, often produces excellent results for stubborn extrinsic staining. Intrinsic staining—discoloration that is a natural part of your tooth or due to an internal injury to the tooth—requires a different form of treatment.

Keeping Your Teeth White

For maximum results, you’ll also want to return to the dentist for touch-up treatments. These don’t take as long as your initial whitening treatment, and help you maintain your new, bright and shiny smile.

Teeth whitening is one of the most common cosmetic dentistry treatments available, because it is quick, simple, and very effective. If you’re unhappy with the way your smile looks, or if you need to look your best for an appointment or a special occasion, teeth whitening can make a huge difference in the way you feel about your teeth.

To get started on a whiter smile, contact us at Newton Dental Group today!